Quality assessment and comparative study of somatic cell fluctuation at different lactation stages of buffalo's milk

Abstract

The aim of current study is to check the health status and the quality of milk by counting somatic cells. Total 50 samples of fresh raw buffalo milk were gathered and divided into five groups on the basis of lactation stages i.e early, mid, late, buffalo at parturition and post parturition (colostrum). Fresh samples were collected and assessed with quality assessment test i.e. pH analysis, lactometer reading test, clots on boiling (COB), alcohol precipitate test (APT) and acidity % age test and the somatic cell count (SCC) through Neubauer chamber under light microscope. Data were evaluated by the stage of lactation with the SPSS programme. The total mean values of pH, Lr and acidity % at each lactation stages were (±6.96, ±31 and ±0.19). Significant effect of SCC on different stages were observed (P<0.05). The average SCC was determined to be 10.1000±5.8121 cells/ml. The effects lactation stages on the SCC value between group were statistically significant (P<0.05). The mean SCC values for early, mid, late, parturition and post parturition stages were (±6.4750, ±5.7500, ±10.8750, ±16.2750 and ±11.1250). The significant differences recognized between the groups indicates that there is a fluctuation of somatic cells at different lactation stages. The number of somatic cells increase from early stage, then decrease gradually in mid stage and starts increasing till the end of lactation and have no significant difference (P<0.05), whereas the mean comparison is highly significant in parturition and colostrum stage.